704 Unfiltered

Law enforcement authorities had enough officers on the scene of the Uvalde school massacre to stop the gunman three minutes after he entered the building, the Texas public safety chief testified Tuesday, condemning the police response as an “abject failure.”

Police officers with rifles instead stood and waited in a hallway for over an hour before they finally stormed the classroom and killed the gunman, putting an end to the May 24 attack that left 19 children and two teachers dead.

"One hour, 14 minutes and eight seconds," DPS director Col. Steve McCraw told a state Senate hearing Tuesday.

“The officers had weapons, the children had none. The officers had body armor, the children had none. The officers had training, the subject had none."

McCraw said the officers never checked a classroom door to see if it was locked. The classroom door, it turned out, could not be locked from the inside. 

“I have great reasons to believe it was never secured,” McCraw said of the door. ”How about trying the door and seeing if it’s locked?”

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/special-reports/uvalde-school-shooting/uvalde-school-shooting-texas-state-police-condemn-response/285-12e11ac9-93a2-4b88-88f3-ca43694dadf3

North Carolina parents and guardians can now begin booking coronavirus vaccine appointments for children aged 6 months to 4 years old. This is the first time babies, toddlers, and children under the age of 5 have been eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.

StarMed Healthcare began accepting vaccination appointments Monday at some of their Charlotte locations beginning Wednesday. Information from Novant Health and Atrium Health was expected soon.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/covid-shots-vaccines-kids-infants-north-carolina-health/275-1f32bf14-bb5b-4cdd-a6f7-c0a50337adfd

Fundraisers are ongoing to help those recovering from a devastating crash involving a golf cart last week in Statesville. The crash, which police said was caused when a drunk driver crossed over the center line and struck the golf cart, killed three people and injured three others. 

One of the passengers in the golf cart, 13-year-old Jada Marlowe of Statesville, passed away on Monday, officials confirmed. 

One of those recovering is 16-year-old Teagan Murphy, who was riding with her friend and her friend's family in the golf cart.

"We are blessed to still have Teagan with us, but it will be a long, hard road to recovery," her family wrote in this GoFundMe.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/fundraisers-gofundme-statesville-golf-cart-crash-victims/275-a21936f4-7018-4cff-b645-70e820089bb0

North Carolina parents and guardians can now begin booking coronavirus vaccine appointments for children aged 6 months to 4 years old. This is the first time babies, toddlers, and children under the age of 5 have been eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.

StarMed Healthcare began accepting vaccination appointments Monday at some of their Charlotte locations beginning Wednesday. Information from Novant Health and Atrium Health was expected soon.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/covid-shots-vaccines-kids-infants-north-carolina-health/275-1f32bf14-bb5b-4cdd-a6f7-c0a50337adfd

Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT! 

North Carolina health leaders say COVID-19 shots for the youngest children eligible to be vaccinated will be available in a matter of days.

On Saturday, CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky gave her endorsement of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for children aged 6 months to under 5 years. This means about 18 million kids will be able to get the shots, but how many actually will is still to be seen. Less than a third of kids aged 5 to 11 have been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) said in a news release just minutes after Walensky's endorsement vaccines for kids under 5 would be available across the Tar Heel state as early as Monday. That's when the first wave of shipments is expected, but NCDHHS urged parents and guardians to coordinate with their child's pediatrician, medical provider, or local health department for more details on availability.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/covid-shots-vaccines-kids-infants-north-carolina-health/275-1f32bf14-bb5b-4cdd-a6f7-c0a50337adfd

 World swimming’s governing body has effectively banned transgender women from competing in women’s events, starting Monday.

FINA members widely adopted a new “gender inclusion policy” on Sunday that only permits swimmers who transitioned before age 12 to compete in women’s events. The organization also proposed an “open competition category.”

“This is not saying that people are encouraged to transition by the age of 12. It’s what the scientists are saying, that if you transition after the start of puberty, you have an advantage, which is unfair,” James Pearce, who is the spokesperson for FINA president Husain Al-Musallam, told The Associated Press.

“They’re not saying everyone should transition by age 11, that’s ridiculous. You can’t transition by that age in most countries and hopefully you wouldn’t be encouraged to. Basically, what they’re saying is that it is not feasible for people who have transitioned to compete without having an advantage.”

Pearce confirmed there are currently no transgender women competing in elite levels of swimming.

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health just lowered its recommended minimum age for starting gender transition hormone treatment to 14 and some surgeries to 15 or 17.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/new-fina-policy-for-transgender-athletes/507-6f74161e-4cac-4f5e-ac10-9d33ea56877a

Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT! 

A single gunman opened fire inside a suburban Alabama church Thursday evening, killing two people and wounding a third at a small group meeting before being taken into custody, authorities said. FULL STORY: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/police-multiple-people-shot-at-alabama-church-suspect-held-birmingham/507-9dc1c3a6-b9b4-4986-b86a-d67498259c26

Plus, crews in Rowan County are investigating what caused a historic black church to catch on fire and Mecklenburg County officials say they've seen a surge in people coming to shelters to get out of the dangerous heat. The heat wave has caused temperatures in the 90s and a heat index well over 100 degrees all week with another stretch of scorching weather ahead for the Carolinas.

Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT! 

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday intensified its drive to tame high inflation by raising its key interest rate by three-quarters of a point — its largest hike in nearly three decades — and signaling more large rate increases to come that would raise the risk of another recession.

The move the Fed announced after its latest policy meeting will increase its benchmark short-term rate, which affects many consumer and business loans, to a range of 1.5% to 1.75%.

The central bank is ramping up its drive to tighten credit and slow growth with inflation having reached a four-decade high of 8.6%, spreading to more areas of the economy and showing no sign of slowing. Americans are also starting to expect high inflation to last longer than they had before. This sentiment could embed an inflationary psychology in the economy that would make it harder to bring inflation back to the Fed’s 2% target.

The Fed’s three-quarter-point rate increase exceeds the half-point hike that Chair Jerome Powell had previously suggested was likely to be announced this week. The Fed’s decision to impose a rate hike as large as it did Wednesday was an acknowledgment that it's struggling to curb the pace and persistence of inflation, which has been worsened by Russia’s war against Ukraine and its effects on energy prices.

Borrowing costs have already risen sharply across much of the U.S. economy in response to the Fed’s moves, with the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate topping 6%, its highest level since before the 2008 financial crisis, up from just 3% at the start of the year. The yield on the 2-year Treasury note, a benchmark for corporate borrowing, has jumped to 3.3%, its highest level since 2007.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/fed-rate-hike/507-712efdf8-4e15-42f6-a21e-9c5b33328ca7'

An exhibit highlighting photography will be without a photo taken during a Charlotte Pride event after a decision from the Gaston County manager.

The Gaston County Museum of Art and History is currently displaying Into the Darkroom, a photography exhibit aimed at showing photography's use as an art form and its place in history.

The exhibit uses photos from the 20th century, showcases vintage cameras, and features work from four modern photographers in Gaston County. One of these photographers, Grant Baldwin, used a photo he took at the 2019 Charlotte Pride Parade of two men kissing. Baldwin says the photo was taken during a marriage proposal.

However, shortly after opening the exhibit, this photo was removed.

Gaston County officials state this decision was made after Kim Eagle, the county manager, instructed museum staff to work with Baldwin to select another photograph to highlight.

"The idea behind the exhibit is to document a historical event, and there are other options from the photographer’s work that more fully capture the context of the parade that was documented," the county said in a statement.

The decision did not involve the museum's board of commissioners.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/lgbtq-photo-removed-from-gaton-county-museum-photographer-speaks-out-pride-men-kissing/275-f25200f5-8b5f-45a5-88ca-9da4edaf3f83

Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT! 

Two people were killed, including a 5-year-old, and several others were hurt in a crash involving a suspected drunk driver and golf cart in Iredell County, North Carolina late Monday night, police said. 

Multiple emergency crews responded to a crash involving a golf car on Fort Dobbs Road near Dobbs Drive in Statesville around 9:45 p.m., the North Carolina Department of Public Safety said. Officers said a 2009 Honda Accord crossed the center line, hitting the golf car head-on. 

The driver of the golf cart, Michael Shane Marlowe, 39, of Statesville, died at the scene. A passenger, 5-year-old Bentley Marlowe, also died from his injuries. Four passengers on the golf cart, ages 2, 13, 16, and 26, were critically injured and transported by medical helicopters to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte and Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, troopers reported.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/statesville-fatal-crash-golf-cart-nc-highway-patrol/275-409d48f5-767a-4f7d-a878-f8a13f8ec68f

Charlotte Hornets forward Montrezl Harrell was cited for a felony drug charge in Richmond, Kentucky, last month, according to police records. 

Harrell was pulled over by a Kentucky state trooper for following too closely on May 12. When the trooper walked up to Harrell's car, he smelled marijuana and Harrell admitted to having some in his possession. The police report states Harrell pulled marijuana from his pocket before the trooper searched his vehicle, where approximately three pounds of marijuana was found in vacuum-sealed bags inside a backpack on the backseat.

Harrell was cited for trafficking less than 5 pounds of marijuana, which is a felony, according to the Associated Press. During a court appearance on June 13, Harrell pleaded not guilty to the charge. He is scheduled to appear in court again next month. 

The Hornets traded two players and a draft pick to Washington for Harrell in February. Harrell is originally from Tarboro, North Carolina, and he played at the University of Louisville before turning pro in 2015. He joined the Wizards in 2021 as part of a trade that sent Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/montrezl-harrell-marijuana-felony-drug-charge-traffic-stop-charlotte-hornets/275-9cfb20a0-8873-436b-b9c9-89d99478067c

Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT! 

Charlotte City Council approved a $215 million plan to upgrade Spectrum Center in Uptown. As part of the plan, the Hornets' practice facility will move out of the arena and across the street, where the Charlotte Transit Center is located. The city will now build an underground transit center where the current CATS transit center is. The new facility will be used until 2045 at least.

Voters in South Carolina head to the polls today for the 2022 primary election. Tradesha Woodard has the latest on how voters can make their ballot count, and we have an update on two Charlotte homicide suspects who were arrested near Wilmington, North Carolina.

For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app. Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

A Heat Advisory is in effect for Charlotte and much of the area from 12 p.m. until 8 p.m. Heat index values could be up to 105º.

Expect highs near 98º on today with heat index values of 105º and above across the Charlotte area. Temperatures and humidity levels will continue to rise on Tuesday and Wednesday. Expect heat index values near 107º on Tuesday, which meets the criteria for a heat advisory. 

This first wave of triple-digit heat should be taken seriously by anyone working or participating in outdoor activities during the hottest part of the day.

By definition, a heat wave is traditionally defined as a prolonged stretch of hotter-than-normal temperatures. For us, skyrocketing temperatures will likely break records on several afternoons this week.

FULL FORECAST: https://www.wcnc.com/article/weather/forecast/charlotte-weather-forecast-update/275-50501550

The nationwide average price for a gallon of gasoline has topped $5 for the first time ever.

Auto club AAA said the average price on Saturday was $5.00. Motorists in some parts of the country, especially California, are paying far above that.

The national average price has jumped 19 cents in just the past week, and it's up $1.93 from this time last year.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/5-dollar-gas-is-here-aaa-says/507-9429347b-10f7-4a5c-8631-9a5ad25c1b30

Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT! 

Rock Hill Mayor John Gettys spoke out for the first time since the Carolina Panthers terminated agreements to build a training facility in Rock Hill and David Tepper’s GT Real Estate subsequently filed for bankruptcy, accusing Tepper of filing bankruptcy to avoid paying contractors for their work on the project. 

Following a press conference announcing a new development on the south side of Rock Hill Thursday morning, Gettys addressed concerns about the future of the 200-plus acre site and the unfinished building on it, both of which are owned by Tepper’s organizations. 

“That site is within the city limits. The city of Rock Hill owns the water, we own the sewer, we own the electricity, we have zoning, and we have the entitlements,” said Gettys. “We’ll have what’s there that needs to be there for the people of Rock Hill’s best interest. Nothing is going to be built there or done there without the city of Rock Hill figuring out what is in our best interest going forward.” 

In early March, Tepper Sports and Entertainment, another one of David Tepper’s companies, said it was pausing the Rock Hill project because the city of Rock Hill did not hold up its end of the bargain in the deal. WCNC Charlotte later discovered the city failed to secure $225 million in bonds to pay for roads, sidewalks and other public infrastructure on the site.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/nfl/panthers/rock-hill-mayor-speaks-carolina-panthers-training-facility-terminated-south-carolina/275-f88509dd-c11f-4a14-8495-796b6e1251ba

 A gallon of gas in the U.S. costs, on average, $5 for the first time in the nation's history, according to price tracker GasBuddy. 

The platform tracks the price of gas at fuel stations across the U.S., and in 2022 has had increasingly alarming announcements about the national average price as the war in Ukraine and increased demand across the globe have sent prices skyrocketing. 

For months, drivers have felt increasing pain at the pump, with some states such as California seeing prices above $6 per gallon. And as prices reach the $5 mark, they're unlikely to drop sson. 

Americans, largely freed from the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, are preparing for summer road trips. 

The high price of oil is the main cause of the biting gasoline prices. A barrel of U.S. benchmark crude was selling for over $100 a barrel Thursday, a price tag that has been climbing throughout the year. 

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/gas-prices-5-dollars/507-c96e3c4f-8be0-4007-a461-74b9f211006a

A former Myers Park High School student is now launching a lawsuit against the board of education for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, claiming district leaders failed to properly address a sexual assault complaint she made during her time on campus.

Serena Evans, who has previously spoken out about her experience at the school, filed the suit this week with her attorney, Christiana Graziano. The lawsuit lodges five key complaints against the district: that CMS violated Title IX of the Education Amendments Act, that the district did not protect her, that CMS was negligent, that school leaders did not do their duty to investigate, and that school leadership intentionally inflicted emotional distress on Evans.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/cms-myers-park-high-school-charlotte-schools-sex-assault-lawsuit/275-e186c7f6-a203-4bd3-9af4-1b65dc3bc311

The national average for a gallon of gas is now at the doorstep of $5, and with diesel climbing at an even faster clip, it's impacting Charlotte landscape businesses.

“We're at a 146% increase since January in fuel costs alone,” Chief Operating Officer for MetroGreenscape Todd Cioppa said.

MetroGreenscape has about 40 vehicles on the road every day, and dozens of other types of equipment.  

“The way we’re trending right now, I bet you we'll spend an extra $150,000 to $180,000 this year on fuel," Cioppa said. “We got to buckle up and get ready for the ride.” 

It's a ride that shows no signs of slowing down.

“It’s hard, it’s hard on everybody," Cioppa said.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/traffic/gas-prices/gas-prices-charlotte-company-impacts/275-33116f4e-7476-4427-bc5d-3670f514d39d

Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!